The Airhead and the Rat
by can-i-break-the-fourth-wall
Summary: Short No.6 Drabbles! Updated weekly!
1. Chapter 1

'Gone'

379 words

NezuShi

character death

Shion did not feel good. His head was pounding, and he felt like he was going to puke. No matter the temperature inside(once he even went outside) he would break out in sweat, even though he was freezing cold.

Moving was the hardest. It was a daily struggle, getting up and walking to the bathroom, or even standing in the shower for five minutes. But Nezumi was a big help.

Nezumi started to cook more now. He had to make sure Shion had some kind of nourishment every day. Sometimes Rikiga and Inukashi would come over with food or a warm dog to keep Shion from shivering.

Shion always enjoyed these little visits. Nezumi would sit him up with a thin pillow behind his back, and a warm bowl of Macbeth Soup in his lap. One of Dogkeeper's dogs would lay next to him or on his legs to keep him warm. Rikiga would tell him stories of his mom, and sometimes Nezumi would either sing or dance or read poetry for Shion.

Nobody took Shion's passing well.

His mother and Nezumi fought over what to do with the body. Karan wanted to bury him inside the city. Nezumi wanted to have him cremated and his ashes spread under his favorite tree, a giant oak that he and Nezumi would climb back when Shion was healthy. In the end Nezumi won out, only because Karan had never seen him cry so hard. Deep in her eart she knew she did the right thing.

Afterwards, Nezumi would lay awake in his bed at night, tracing the sheets where Shon's scar would be. He's get up and pace around his small room in west block, looking restlessly for Shion's favorite blue cardigan, which he would drape over himself and use as a blanket on many nights. He knew he should give it to Karan, but it was the one piece of SHion Nezumi had left, and he did not want to give it up.

In the end, it was the little things Shion took with him to his death. It was these moments, when Shion would brighten up with laughter, and his face was free of pain, and his smile lighting up the room, that Nezumi would remember and mourn over.


	2. Doctor Shion (Part One)

Doctor Shion (part one)

Nezumi was sick. He had a fever for the last few days and he would frequently wake up in a cold sweat. Shion dabbed at his chest and forehead with a damp towel. Nezumi whimpered in his sleep, rolling over and grasping the sheets on the bed.

"Shi…on…" Nezumi continued to grope at the sheets. Shion grabbed at his wondering hand, running his thumb over the calloses on his hand.

"Nezumi, save your strength. I'm gonna have to go out and find you some antibiotics. You can't fight off this infection or virus or whatever this is Nezumi! I'll be back soon though, I won't take long!" Nezumi muttered out a few sentences, the word 'airhead' being heard several times. He put a glass of water within Nezumi's reach and next to it an empty trashcan and a bowl of soup. Putting on his torn and tattered coats, Shion left the comfort of the little room.

Shion was scared. He wouldn't make it if Nezumi died. He didn't want to go home, he didn't want his mother's prying questions. HE just wanted Nezumi safe and healthy again.

But what was hurting Nezumi? Was it a wound somewhere on him that Shion missed? Was it poison? It definitely wasn't a regular stomach bug, and it didn't share many symptoms with the flu. Pulling his coat tighter, Shion continued to look for answers.

Rikiga. Nezumi never liked the man, but Shion had grown fond of the drunkard. Shion turned left, following the narrow path to his building. Knocking on the door first, Shion barged into the building.

It was dusty, dust flying around his face as he breathed. Light filtered in through a few cracks on the wall, illuminating old furniture in the rooms. Spotting some creaky wood stairs in the corner, he made his way up to Rikiga's office.

The office was cold and damp, the fireplace dusted over like it hadn't been used in some time. Shion carefully treaded his was towards the desk in the middle of the room, his hands out in front of him. Touching the desk, he knocked over bottles and felt pens before they rolled to the floor. He opened up the draws and found the key to the cabinet in the corner.

In West Block…

Nezumi was doubled over in pain, his head all but inside the now puke filled trashcan. Hours ago he had started to lose his vision, purple hazes around anything that he could actually make out. The soup was spilled on the floor and the mice were chirping at the door way.

"Sh.. ut up…" he said to the mice, but they only got louder.

Shion… where are you?


	3. Shion's Birthday

"Nezumi, Nezumi…Nezz…u…Mi!" Shion bounced happily around their little room, skipping, his bare feet barely touching the cold ground.

"Yes Shion, dammit, what could you possibly want from me?" Nezumi called from the bed,

"Do you know what today is?" Nezumi would never admit it, but Shion's smile was infectious. He had to stop himself from grinning back at the face that was a few inches from his.

A few inches…

Nezumi hooked his hand behind Shion's head and brought him closer.

Nezumi felt more than saw Shion's blush as their lips met.

"Why? Did your highness the airhead forget the days of the week?" Shion shook his head and bit his lip. He looked down at his hands in his lap, his eyelashes dancing across his pale cheeks.

"It's my birthday remember? You said that on my birthday you would take the day off and spend it together." Nezumi ran his hand through his hair and rubbed it across his five o'clock shadow.

"I did? I don't remember that. Maybe we can celebrate later? I need to run by the theater today and talk to Chad. Do you mind?" Shion shook his head and got to his feet. He shuffled to the kitchen and brought out a pan and two eggs from the refrigerator. He pushed over the pre made cake batter and pulled out some meat as well.

"Well then I'll see you when you get home then. Do you want eggs before you g-ahhhhh!" Nezumi came up behind Shion and placed his cold hands on his waist, burying his face in his hair.

"You really are an airhead. Were you seriously gonna cry over today? Of course I remembered!"

Nezumi pulled away and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a little box and handed it to Shion. He blushed.

" I figured I'd give you a small memory of your times here. I hope you like it."

Shion opened the box and pulled out a small key. At the top of the was a glass orb with a leaf embedded into it. The key was painted green.

"It doesn't go anywhere, so don't get any ideas you air-" He was cut off by Shion's lips on his.

"Happy birthday, Shion."


	4. I Miss You

The night was dark, darker than usual. The common assortment of stars were not illuminating much, just the shadow of a man in an alleyway. He was walking fast past the shops of West Block, not really paying much attention to where he was going. He was clutching a knife in his right hand, his breath coming out in shirt rapid bursts. He had to get home. Turning left around a hill he spotted a staircase going down into the earth. Sighing, he pulled his cardigan closer and sprinted down the old stairs.

He had made it home! Safe and sound. He grinned at the old wooden door, and jimmied his key into the lock. The door creaked open, a cloud of dust floating out into the hallway.

He hadn't been here for quite some time, nobody had. It had been two years since the previous owner had left, leaving the man with no clue where he was going or if he was ever coming back. Coughing, the man put his sleeve over his mouth and squinted into the darkness. Reaching into the pocket of his khakis, he grabbed a match and lit the lantern closest to the door.

The room was a mess, looking like it had been searched. Books were on the floor everywhere, the few dishes were broken and scattered on the floor, and the bed was leaning on the wall.

It was hard for him but the man managed to hold back a sob. Illuminating another candle, he set to work cleaning up his once home.

Nothing had been taken, that much he could tell. He stacked the decrepit books and play back on the shelves where they belonged. He swept up the broken dishes with his hands, and smiled to himself as he realized that he managed to not cut himself.

"See," he thought to himself, "I'm not as much as an airhead as you thought!"

He fixed the bed with to moth eaten sheets he found in a small closet, and turned it back on it's feet. Pulling a copper pot out of his knapsack, he boiled some broth on top of the old wood stove, recalling the memories of how he used to cook the very same soup on the very same stove.

"A lot has changed since then. You're gone but… but I'm still here. I miss you Nezumi, and I miss Safu. But I did it. I managed to survive the wall being torn down. The reconstruction project is going great. Believe it or not Inukashi's been a real help, and so has Rikiga! And you should see little Shionn! That's what we named that baby that we found. We still haven't found her parents though…

I think you would love it, Nezumi. I built a library in the city, and we have many children from West Block who come and watch the plays on the weekends. Oh, and did I tell you that I've been reelected for city official? I was really surprised.

I like to think that if you were still here, that maybe you would be the arts teacher at one of the new schools. I would have loved that, and the students might have enjoyed learning from you, sensei!

When are you coming back Nezumi? I miss you…"

The smell of burning soup brought him out of his reverie. He served himself, pouring the stew in a wooden bowl, not noticing that his tears were falling into it.

"Nezumi…" He whispered.

"What kind of airhead leaves the door unlocked in the middle of the night?"


End file.
